Hearing them approach, the fox whipped her head around as if in surprise. This made Essairyn curious, and her senses subconsciously sharpened. The softest susurrus of the nearby trees piqued her attention, and her gaze jerked up reflectively. Seeing nothing in the tranquil forest which surrounded Doctor Cyanmay's house, Essairyn turned back to Akari. From her reaction, it seemed as if Akari had been talking to someone. But Essairyn also felt that perhaps due to what she had just experienced, she was also sightly on edge.

However, if their lives had dangled so precariously on death, Essairyn couldn't comprehend how the little fox could possibly get them to this place. Akari couldn't have possibly dragged three grown adults, even with the help of Eisso whom Essairyn observed was a single father. Her mind instantly flashed to the mysterious figure who had always helped her in times of both minor and major troubles. It...couldn't be you again, could it? Essairyn inwardly shook her head. Regardless if "C" had helped her again, he always remained hidden from her in the end.

"Essairyn..." Akari croaked, slowly approaching with shining eyes and slightly bent back ears. She had not expected the bedridden girl to be standing before her today. While she had believed Essairyn would recover because she always surprised her and came through in difficult situations, the spirit fox still had been distressed of course. Just like how Essairyn was beating herself up inside about causing Leo's death, Akari had also been blaming herself for not being able to help stop Balgair due to her injuries. She used to be one of Sol'h'meyr's strongest gods, and yet in this reincarnation too, she had once again been powerless to save those she cared about.

Essairyn opened her arms and stooped down to embrace a tearful Akari. The fox proceeded to bury her face into the girl's chest, feeling comforting warmth and a soundly beating heart. She opened her mouth, trying to push out words of relief and gratitude that Essairyn had awoken and was well, but Akari was simply too overcome with unanticipated emotion. She hadn't realized—no, she hadn't admitted until now in this moment after almost losing her—how much cared for Essairyn.

"It's okay." Essairyn tenderly petted the fox. "Thank you for saving us."

Her simple, sincere thanks made Akari jerk her head up in protest. "No—I didn't—I...couldn't help any of you when I was needed the most. All this time...I've just been taking advantage of your kindness in traveling with me. I don't deserve such thanks when all I've done is caused you problems or just stood by on the sidelines."

Essairyn sighed deeply. "No, you're wrong, Akari." She gently lifted the fox's flattened ears. "I couldn't have gotten this far without you." She peered warmly into Akari's glistening eyes. "I haven't ever regretted adventuring with you. Ever. So don't feel so responsible. If anything, I—"

"Don't you dare say it was your fault." Akari glared at the girl, knowing exactly what Essairyn was about to say.

Sighing again, she rubbed the fox's cheek. "Okay, I won't. Besides, it doesn't do us any good. We're simply luckily that Dr. Cyanmay lived around here. Seriously, how did you even find him in time? Did you know—no, you couldn't have because of your reincarnation. So wait—how did you—?"

Akari fidgeted nervously in Essairyn's arms. The girl had every right to be suspicious and confused at how a small spirit animal could possibly locate a home in the woods that happened to house a doctor of all professions. It couldn't have been a pure stroke of luck because their conditions were critical. So Akari didn't have time to roam around looking for help.

Seeing Akari figuratively sweat, Eisso quickly interrupted. "I found you all. With all the loud noise and mana disturbance, I had rushed over and seen everybody on the ground. The village was a place I had been keeping a close eye on ever since it was destroyed. We are mainly self-sufficient here, so I don't usually go out to the village. I can show you the device which sensed disruption in the atmosphere's magic flow too."

Essairyn nodded her head firmly, completely believing Eisso's explanation without second thought that it sounded too perfect. Since he had even offered showing her the magical device, and she had spotted many in his house, his account was credible. For Akari, his words were a godsend. It saved her from the tricky situation and having to lie to Essairyn so soon after she woke. Darren also did not find anything suspicious as this was the same story he had been told.

"Let's head back inside then." Darren suggested as he helped Essairyn stand with Akari still cradled. "You should eat something after all those days of taking nutritional shots. And once you're fully recovered, you can help Eisso with his treatment for Aispin. Even though you also have limited magical knowledge, I have a feeling you might be able to figure something out."

She gave a small, unconvinced smile. "Let's hope. Since it's demonic-related, my magic may just reveal something new."

Darren smiled, nodding confidently. His eyes flickered to Akari, wanting to scoop her out of Essairyn's arms so that she wasn't burdened. But he knew that she was comforted by the fox, so he merely lagged behind her to make sure she didn't stumble as they returned inside.

Following Darren and Eisso's recommendations, Essairyn ate as much as she could handle. She had expected her stomach to not be able to intake a lot, but her ravenous appetite went unhindered, even with the mediocrely cooked food. Funnily enough, it was Lyressa, the child, who seemed to be a better cook than the adults. The little girl innocently scolded her father who spent more time researching and tending to his greenhouse garden than improving his cooking skills. Essairyn had woken up in the late afternoon, so this meal ended up being her early dinner before they urged her back to rest.

Assuaging their concerns, she reluctantly went back to bed. Since she was still a patient, Dr. Cyanmay refused allowing Akari to sleep with her. So Essairyn just aimlessly stared up at the ceiling before looking outside the window. From the dimming gold and darkening violet of the skies, she knew night was just around the corner.

Nestling under the covers up to her nose, she laid on her side while poring over the short day. The peacefulness of her current state starkly contrasted with the adrenaline of what felt like just a few hours ago battling with Balgair. She reran the scene multiple times over in her mind, trying to unravel how he could have used an anti-mage skill while still being able to cast magic himself. Since Aispin had been affected by demonic energy, she couldn't help but think that Balgair was connected to H.T. Only people from that mysterious organization could have such strange powers based on what occurred in Farinheld.

As her recollections looped back to the current circumstances, Essairyn furrowed her eyebrows. Although Eisso's story made sense, she didn't understand why Akari had been so hesitant to explain that the doctor had to step in for her. Is there someone missing from the picture? Had she actually been speaking with someone before we arrived? The only person that came to mind was "C," but Akari had no reason to hide it if that was the case. Both of them had met the man previously, so he wasn't a completely unknown factor.

She sighed restlessly, not able to pull away from this tingling intuition. After a minute passed, Essairyn sat up with determined eyes. She wouldn't be able to sleep without verifying for herself. So, quietly, she slipped out of bed and fiddled with the window's latches. Fortunately, her room was on the first floor, so she snuck out and left the window cracked open for when she returned. Essairyn was sure that they wouldn't check back on her, but she couldn't just exit the house through the doors when they had asked her to rest.

Padding barefoot across the lush grass and cool earth, she surreptitiously circumvented the house to where Akari had first been. Essairyn carefully picked her way through the brush of the adjacent forest until no one could see her from the outside. Halting in her tracks, she lifted her head to the trees, peering at the wan light of the evening roving through the branches. Taking a deep breath, she opened her mouth to speak to the woods.

"I know you're there. So please come out. Isn't it about time you properly introduced yourself to me, 'C'?"

Silence ensued, making Essairyn's spine prickle. Then, a low, charming chuckle resounded from above. A pale hand brushed aside a cover of leaves, revealing a familiar figure. He tipped his chin onto his right palm, his elbow resting against a bent knee while the other leg swung lazily over the tree bough on which he sat.

"You caught me, lady. But I suppose you already knew from before?" His question was more of a statement, making Essairyn faintly smile.

"I suppose. Although I don't understand the need to hide. You've been helping me all this time. Did you also help last week? Why?"

The man's smile was hidden from her by their distance and the dark, but Essairyn could somehow hear it in his voice. "I just happened to be going the same way."

She frowned, unamused. "Riiight~ you were. Then you just happened to stay in the woods for a week, too."

He laughed airily before winding his way down from the tree. As he landed and approached her, Essairyn immediately took notice of his missing cloak. Her heartbeat couldn't help but quicken in anticipation as she wondered if she would finally see his face. To her disappointed surprise as he stopped in front, she could not see his features. But she had indeed seen his face, a face with bandages covering his eyes and most of his forehead. Similar white wrappings covered much of his arms and bare chest. Shockingly, blood seeped through in a few spots, making Essairyn's gut wrench unknowingly.

"You... are you okay? Why're you injured?" Her frown deepened until a sudden realization struck her. "Did you get hurt from the demons at Farinheld?"

The man snickered softly. "You've forgotten that was two weeks ago, and also, did I appear to be injured when I was with you that time?"

Essairyn scrunched her nose in deliberation. "You always wear a cloak, how am I supposed to even see if you are? Then, you got hurt from Balgair? But...how? I didn't see you, and why would you still have injuries these severe?"

His lips curved into a forlorn smile. "My employer granted me stores of magic to fight against H.T. while investigating their true goal. It's easy to detect a powerful mage's aura, so for a low rank like me, it's easier to go undetected. Unfortunately, in that last battle, I used it all up." He shrugged nonchalantly as if not having the magic to heal himself was no big deal. This made Essairyn frown deeply.

"You've helped me yet again. But this time, you got hurt in the process. ...I really don't understand why you would willingly throw yourself in the fire when clearly I was being quite stupidly rash. You don't even know me—what stopped you from ignoring what was happening and just go and save yourself?"

A sigh escaped him as he adjusted his wrappings that had loosened a bit from climbing down the tree. "You really took on more than you could handle, Essairyn."

Her eyes flashed wide at him for knowing her name before they narrowed dubiously in thought. Is he some kind of mercenary spy? But his graceful mannerisms and aura reminded her of aristocrats like Kajarn.

"I gained consciousness shortly after everyone passed out and was able to take you all to Eisso's home. Akari was quite frantic when she awoke and carried you and Aispin who were the most injured while I carried Darren."

"Wait, Akari carried two people? How can she when she's so—" Realization struck Essairyn again. That's right. She had supposedly fended off several demons at Farinheld. Even if she had been grown a little, it didn't make sense that such a small body could effectively hold off so many demons when she had fared so poorly against one on two different occasions the first day they had met. Essairyn also didn't fully believe Akari's declaration that she used to be one of the greatest spirit gods. But, if that were true, then it would make sense for her to have higher than average growth speed as she reclaimed her former powers.

"Looks like she has a lot to explain to you."

Essairyn raised a brow at his remark, giving a look that said, "And you don't?"

To this nonverbal message, he smiled wryly. "You can simply think of me as a vagabond on a mission. I'll have to go back to my employer in order restore my magic supplies before I can continue. But until Farinheld, my encounters with you were just by coincidence from being on the same path. Rather..." He paused while peering down at his hands. "I myself don't know why I helped you this particular time. I could have ignored it as you said. But somehow..." He looked up at her with earnest curiosity. "I just found myself moving before I even realized."

Essairyn could not see his expression underneath his bandages, but she could hear the sincerity in his mellow voice. "Haah..." She ruffled her hair while reflecting back on all of their meetings. After finally getting a sense of who he was and finally being able to have a decent conversation with him, she didn't know what to do. He had helped her too many times without her ever being able to repay him. She didn't even know if it was possible now if he returning back to wherever he came.

"You..." Essairyn gazed steadfastly at him. "What's your name?"